About the SIAA

What is the Role of SIAA?

The Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA) is a nationwide organisation formed to promote the growth of the Australian space sector. By formulating national policies and strategies, SIAA speaks with authority and credibility on behalf of its members on issues connected with the development of the Australian space industry.

What services does SIAA provide?

SIAA takes a leading role in advising government on behalf of the space industry. Through a program of meetings and other communications, SIAA consults with its members to devise policies to support the development of the Australian space industry and is active in promoting commercial, industrial and research opportunities for its members nationally and internationally.

The SIAA also runs the Space Industry Development Fund in May and October each year, providing up grants of up to $2,500 to support the organisation and delivery of industry-related events including, but not limited to, conferences, workshops, seminars and other meetings, and offering one-off competitive grants to support special space-related projects and activities.

What is the scope of the Australian Space Industry?

The space industry in Australia consists of individuals and organisations involved in the provision and use of space related technologies or services. These technologies and services include the following:

Telecommunications

Remote Sensing

Environmental monitoring and meteorology

Satellite development

Satellite components and sub-systems

Ground systems for space technology

Global Positioning

Space Science

Space Education

Professional services to support the above (legal, financial, insurance etc)

SIAA Advisory Council

The SIAA Board is supported by an Advisory Council, comprised of up to 20 members.

The role of the Advisory Council is to provide high level advice to the SIAA Board on a range of space industry issues. The Advisory Council:

will act in an advisory capacity only,

will have power to consider matters referred to it by the Board, and matters initiated on its own motion. Matter(s) raised by (or through) an AC member for discussion will first be put to the AC Chair for validation as a matter appropriate and relevant for tabling and addressing by the AC (such matters may be addressed at a regular AC meeting, or out-of-sessions),

must comply with any Policies made by the Board, and

will conduct its meetings on the basis of one vote for each member of the Advisory Council

The Advisory Council is currently represented by the following members:

Mr Bill Barrett

Ms Jackie Carpenter

Mr Milorad Cerovac

Dr Phil Crosby (chair)

Prof Andrew Dempster

Mr Roger Franzen

Mr James Gilmour

Dr Alice Gorman

Ms Annie Handmer

Mr Kirby Ikin

Mr Jeff Kasparian

Prof Andy Koronios

Mr Conrad Pires

Ms Carley Scott

Prof Craig Smith

Mr Clint Verhagen

Mr Stephen Ward

Mr Shaun Wilson

Members of the SIAA Board of Directors

David Ball

CHAIR

Biography

David is the CEO of the Space Environment Research Centre and is the Chair and Treasurer SIAA. David has over 25 years of experience in the communications and defence sectors with a significant portion of his career spent specialising in satellite communications. David has held senior positions with several commercial satellite communications operators, including Intelsat and PanAmSat, with roles encompassing sales management, business development, spacecraft engineering and space systems development / acquisition. David also led communications projects for the Australian Department of Defence (through Envista Pty Ltd) during 2016 and 2017. David holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree (Communications Engineering) and a Graduate Diploma in Business Management.

Prof Melissa de Zwart

DEPUTY CHAIR

Biography

Melissa has a keen interest in the intersection between law and technology. Prior to joining academia, she was the Manager, Legal Services, CSIRO, where she advised on protection and commercialisation of technology. Her areas of research focus primarily on digital technology, as it interacts with culture, human behaviour and new areas of innovation. She has published widely on copyright, social media, surveillance, popular culture, the internet and outer space. She is Co-Editor of the Woomera Manual on the International Law Applicable to Military Space Operations and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law. In 2015 she was the Team Leader of the AdelaideX Cyberwar, Surveillance and Security MOOC which has attracted over 40,000 students globally.

Dr Gail Iles

DIRECTOR

Biography

Dr Iles heads the Space Physics research group at RMIT University researching novel materials and active shielding to protect humans and electronics against the radiation environment in LEO and lunar orbit. Dr Iles is the Programme Coordinator of the first industry-partnered, dedicated Space Science degree in Australia. Dr Iles has secured industry partnerships with Blacksky Aerospace, Geoplex/Nova Systems, Sabre Astronautics, Frontier SI, Aerospace Systems Pty Ltd, CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology. Dr Iles is also a supervisor of award-winning research students who build and launch rockets and design and build payloads and satellites.

As a former astronaut instructor for the European Space Agency, Dr Iles trained expedition crew for several International Space Station increments. Crew from NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, JAXA and CSA were trained to operate data, communications and power sub-systems within the Columbus laboratory. Ground control personnel were also trained, evaluated and certified during real-time simulations of ISS operations.

Julia Mitchell

SECRETARY

Biography

Julia is a space nut, whose interest led her to study a combined Bachelor of Science (Physics) and Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace) (Hons.). After working in the aviation industry for a few years, she decided that five years of study had not satisfied her curiosity for space and she moved overseas to study a Master of Science in Astronautics and Space Engineering at Cranfield University. Outside of work, Julia loves cooking, watching rocket launches with her dog (including the GovSat-1 satellite, which she worked on prior to this role) and pushing herself in Coaching Zone. Julia enjoys learning more about space and the downstream users through her role as the SBAS Test-bed Program Manager.

Dr Tim Parsons

DEPUTY CHAIR

Biography

A veteran of collaborative product and startup innovation within Space, MediaTech, and AgTech, Dr Tim Parsons leads the Australian NewSpace network Delta-V, while consulting widely to research organisations, tech-focused SMEs, startup accelerators and incubators nationally. A member of the SIAA’s advisory committee, Tim’s formal board experience extends from his role as a non-executive director of not-for-profit MediaTech incubator The Studio Pty Ltd, as well as Australian representative director of Vimond Media Solutions APAC Pty Ltd. He is also a director of both his own consultancy Super Lumina Pty Ltd and the Delta-V Newspace Alliance Pty Ltd. Tim is also a member of the establishment committee of the SmartSatCRC, as well as chair of the establishment committee of the SmartSatCRC’s Australian Space Industry Startup Cluster Company. Tim holds a PhD in Rarefied Hypersonic Flow Simulation from Imperial College, London, and is married with two children.

Mark Ramsey

DIRECTOR

Biography

Mark Ramsey is the General Manager for Sitael Australia, a subsidiary of Italian small satellite manufacturer Sitael. Mark is a Space industry professional with over 15 years’ experience in a diverse range of technical and leadership roles, including roles at Thales Alenia Space, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and NewSat. Mark graduated from Adelaide University with a Bachelor of Engineering and Diploma of Languages in 2003, and is currently studying a Masters of Business Administration at the University of South Australia. Mark is on the Space Industry Association of Australia board, is the former chair of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Adelaide Section.